


Midsummer Grace

by Scyllaya



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, vessel!fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-28
Updated: 2012-10-28
Packaged: 2017-11-17 05:43:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/548233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scyllaya/pseuds/Scyllaya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean is really fed up with being abducted, especially for some freaky ritual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First posted at Livejournal Jun. 21st, 2011. Unbetad.
> 
> Podfic for this story is available here: http://scyllaya.livejournal.com/72959.html

Part One

 

Dean was truly and utterly fed up with being knocked out and abducted. He hated the way he woke up and his head throbbed and as ropes or handcuffs bit into his skin, he hated not knowing how much time passed and how he was going to free himself. He hated feeling like a rookie if someone managed to drop the dime on him. He had his fair share of unpleasant awakenings. He woke up many times tied to a chair, gagged and tied up, hell he even woke up once in an apocalyptic future and was chased by a horde of demonic zombies. But nothing was more unpleasant than waking up tied up completely with rope with nothing but his boxers on – at least he was not completely naked – lying in a very suspicious looking clearing with bonfires all around him, strange people walking up and down while the sound of drums were ringing in the air.

He was somehow sure, for some reason, that he was the not so virgin sacrifice. He still had no idea how they could catch him so easily but he was also a bit hazy on the details, which meant that he got hit on the head pretty bad. Normally he would've suspected demons to be behind this sort of crap, but all the fire and the drums and the strange smell of sweet smoke in the air told him otherwise. And oh yeah it was summer solstice. Now with pagan rituals he knew that he either was going to be killed (bled out and/or taken apart), or if he was lucky it was some freaky fertility ritual and some god or goddess, priest or priestess will want to have his or her way with him. Not that thinking about that filled him with too much reassurance, it would've been bad, really bad, but better than death. The fact that he was not tied to some sort of sacrificial altar did give him some hope.

He turned his head when a shadow fell over him and he was for a moment struck dumb at the sight. Not someone he expected to see.

'Kali?'

The goddess stood above him in a red gown – or maybe a cloak – her dark hair falling down in waves and her face just as stern and cold as it was the last time Dean saw her almost two years ago. The goddess didn't answer him and the next second he was hauled up by his elbows, his wrist tied together tightly behind his back and he was repositioned on something hard. Ok, so much for not being on a sacrificial altar.

'Well it just figures that not killing you comes back to bite me in the ass' Kali just glanced at him dispassionately as a guy handed her a bowl and a paintbrush. She twirled the brush around in the bowl before she stepped closer and started painting on Dean's skin. 'I hope that's chocolate syrup, that I could get behind' Dean remarked as he was held down in place so that he couldn't wiggle away from the brush, she sighed in an almost exasperated manner but still didn't talk. Whatever the thick goo was it didn't smell bad at least as it left dark green marks on his skin, symbols he couldn't recognize. Then two other chicks got into his line of vision from both sides, either of them holding smaller bowls in their hands and Dean already had enough of the arts and crafts they had going on with him. The women used their hands, but they were not drawing symbols but started to cover every inch of skin Kali didn't paint on with some powder. It stuck to his skin completely painting him gold, maybe it really was gold, it certainly looked like it even if the scent of flower pollen reached Dean's nose.

'Seriously?' Dean asked as he tried to catch the goddess' eyes. 'You're going to use me as some sacrificial lamb, the guy who helped you out when the devil was all over our asses?' he was definitely not counting on reasoning with her, but he couldn't just lie back and do nothing. He hoped that Sam noticed that he was gone by now.

Kali just leveled him with a look before she continued to paint symbols now on his legs.

When they were done there was almost no place on him that was not covered in the strange green paint or gold powder that made him look like a living, breathing gold statue. It was itching his skin to no end.

'What is all this? Kali!' she knew him, this couldn't be random. 'Answer me!' he was ignored. Naturally. And of course these were not some amateur demons or teenage witches, all of Kali's helpers knew what they were doing, which meant that he was tied up very efficiently. 'Bitch' he spat out. It got a reaction out finally.

'You're lucky you're not expandable right now' she told him. Her eyes were dark and angry and Dean was absolutely sure that she would tear his throat out if she could, but there was more than that. Like she hated being here to begin with, which was strange. She looked at someone who was somewhere around Dean's left shoulder and the next second Dean found himself gagged with a piece of cloth that they tied on his head.

She turned her back on him again and walked somewhere behind Dean where he couldn't see her. The light got brighter all around and Dean felt the heat of the bonfires on his skin as the flames grew tall in the sunset. The sound of drums never stopped for a second and a low rumble of chants joined in.

Dean tried to struggle free again, but he couldn't and the first traces of panic really started to set in.  He was in deep, deep shit. Kali's voice rang in the air as she spoke in a language Dean didn't know, but it made his skin prickle. The powder was itching him, every inch of his skin and the air felt much hotter than before and Dean realized suddenly that it was magic. Whatever it was that Kali and her merry band of cultists were doing it started and it was linked to him.

The symbols were hotter on his skin now and he really started to struggle more, the rope was biting into his skin but it was not loosening up. Then he was pulled off the stone and was dragged across the grass by two couple of hands. Kali was in his line of vision again, but she had her eyes closed as she uttered the words and paid him no attention.

Cold water hit his skin suddenly and he shouted... the gag muffling his voice. He was dragged into some sort of spring where the water was clear and cold and gathered in a small pond. The water was scattered with yellow flowers, almost covering the entire surface. And after the first shock the cold water it just made the symbols burn hotter on his skin instead of cooling him down.

Kali burst into flames as the bonfires climbed higher to the sky and the hands holding him pushed him under the water. He struggled against the hold as he sank down until his back hit the pebbles on the bottom of the spring. The sound of drums was now quieter and the chanting was barely heard underwater, even Kali's voice was gone, but he saw nothing but the burning fire all around and the yellow flowers swimming on the surface and the petals swirling all around him.

He was running out of air and it just figured that he gets used for a ritual where they drown him instead of a lot less painful blood sacrifice. He was choking now as his lungs burned in the need of air and he tired his best not to breathe in the water but he lost the fight and the cold water filled his lungs. He expected the darkness to claim him, but everything just kept burning. Bright light was the last thing he could still see and then everything slipped away.

x~x~x

Gabriel sat up suddenly taking in a large breath, but it caused him to cough violently. He clutched his chest where the killing blow of Lucifer landed, but he was unharmed. He cleared his throat and managed to get in a few breaths. His senses came back to him a bit slower than he was comfortable with. He was wet and he tasted gold, lavender and mugwort on his lips while the smell of thyme and vervain was heavy in the air along with the scent of calendula, which explained all the yellow petals sticking to his hands and arms.

He looked up and his eyes landed on Kali. He was confused, he was ready to admit that. He wanted to speak but he had to clear his throat again, a quick check and yeah his lungs and windpipe were damaged, too much water. A thought and his vessel was okay again.

'What happened?' he asked. His throat was still sore somehow, his voice came out in a deeper rumble than he was used to.

'I hate being in debt' Kali said simply. 'You helped me, I helped you. Now we're even.'

'Helped me?' he paused. 'I was dead' yes, he was rather sure of that. Lucifer actually killed him. Okay his voice still felt too strange.

'Yes, be glad that it was not an obstacle. I had your blood, you grace was tied to me I could summon you back with some help.'

Gabriel looked around and among Kali's followers he recognized some old faces, so it was not just Kali but several gods. He stood up finally to get out of the water and froze as he looked down at Kali. He was taller than he was used to, he looked down at his hands again. This was not his vessel.

'Kali, who did you...' oh he knew that voice. This was not good, not good at all. He stepped past the goddess and picked up one of the golden bowls from the altar and looked at the reflection he could see in it.

Well, fuck. He took a few breaths before he turned back towards his ex-lover.

'Dean Winchester, you summoned me into Dean Winchester's body?' he knew that he sounded furious and he didn't want to restrain it. This was wrong on so many levels, he couldn't ask for consent, Dean couldn't give consent. He stretched his grace inside and breathed out in relief when he felt Dean's soul burning inside the body, just as brightly and strongly as it was supposed to. He had to check for any other damage later.

'It's not like there are that many humans capable of housing an archangel' Kali said matter of factly. 'Besides, his blood I already had, why go search for someone else?'

'Why Dean?' Gabriel asked.

'The other one's tainted, not the type of presence that would do any good in such a complex ritual.'

'He didn't give his permission for this' Gabriel said, because he was pretty sure that the older Winchester brother would not consent to something like this not even to bring Gabriel back.

'You're welcome' Kali said instead. 'And we're even and done.'

'Yeah trust me I'm not feelin' it anymore either' Gabriel replied as he looked her up and down then shifted space to get out of the presence of the gods.

He snapped some clothes onto his body, not his usual garments but something he saw Dean wearing before. He was back, but he was shaky. His grace was trembling just from the flight he made to get away from Kali. He was rather sure that he couldn't harm Dean – Michael's vessel – with his presence, but he had yet to make sure. The world was still there and not as a horrible wasteland as he saw it in one of his glimpses to the future, but this was still a mess and it would be a bitch to clean it all up, plus he would have to deal with one and even more likely two very pissed off Winchesters soon.

x~x~x

Dean opened his eyes slowly. Heat was warming his skin, like the sun in the driest, hottest summer day. It took a while for his eyes to adjust to the bright light as he sat up and looked around. He frowned and rubbed his eyes, but even at second blink he saw nothing but an endless green field with the horizon in the distance on all sides with the bright blue sky above.

He tried to get his mind to work, to remember how he got here. He remembered sweet scent and burning fire, the sound of drums and yellow flowers. He was underwater, fighting for his breath... did he get out of there? He dreaded that the answer was no.

'Hey Dean' the hunter turned around quickly at the voice, but he still didn't stand up. Gabriel looked almost exactly like he did at the night he died. He was just somehow... brighter. His hair was almost gold and so were his eyes, but maybe it was just the light from the burning sun, if it was the sun at all.

'I thought that I was dead, but then I would be eating my Mom's apple pie' Dean said. 'And I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to see dead archangels up in Heaven either.'

'You are right about that' Gabriel said as he too sat down to the grass in a comfortable distance.

'Where am I if not there?' he asked.

'Still on Earth' the angel told him. Dean thought about the too sharp light and the endless nothing around them.

'Am I dreaming?' he asked then.

'Well we are in your head, so close enough' Dean frowned deeper and wanted to tell the angel to cut the cryptic bullcrap when he remembered the goddess towering above him.

'Your bitch ex-girlfriend fucking tried to kill me' he said angrily.

'Technically... she didn't just try. You were dead for a minute or so.' Dean narrowed his eyes.

'So I'm alive?'

'Yes, alive and unharmed' Gabriel said, his tone told Dean that he tried to sound reassuring.

'Ok, so if we're in my head, what are you doing here? Fuck, are you even real or am I just making this up?'

'Oh, I am very real Dean-o, and I am very much inside here with you.'

'So what do you want? And why am I not awake?' Dean asked. He was running out of patience and he needed answers right away. Gabriel tilted his head back and looked up at the sky while he took a deep breath. And that gesture just didn't promise anything good. 'Gabriel?' he asked again. 'What's going on?'

'Kali felt like she had to pay back her debt to me' the archangel started. 'She gathered some gods, called in some favours and dragged my ass back to this plain of existence by that thread of grace she had with my blood.'

'That's... good. You're alive then' Dean concluded and he let himself think about it for a moment. Gabriel died to help them and now he was back, they were not close by any sense of the word, but it was still a relief, maybe he was even glad. 'Wouldn't have imagined her lifting a finger' Dean admitted, he didn't expect anyone lifting a finger to be honest. When Cas died God brought him back almost immediately, so he figured that Gabriel being gone for so long meant that the big guy was not making an exception for him. Which was a very shitty thing so Dean avoided thinking about it as much as he could, but sometimes it still invaded his mind. It was unfair, plain and simple. He couldn't wrap his mind around why God would bring one back and not the other when both died for the same reasons. There was no answer of course so Dean just avoided thinking about it altogether while it strengthened his conviction that yes, God was indeed a dick.

Gabriel chuckled, Dean looked back at him.

'I didn't expect any of the gods to move a finger, but a lot of them gathered so... here I am.'

'That freaky ritual or something, that was it? That was how they brought you back?' Dean asked and the angel nodded. 'What the hell had I have to do with it?'

'I've been gone for almost two years' Gabriel said. 'Good job with the cage, by the way... so two years... my dead vessel was of course eventually found by the police, labeled as a John Doe and was cremated and buried in a unmarked grave... Kali's magic is rather corporeal and she had to pull me back into something... somebody' he finished while he locked his amber eyes on Dean, his tone meaningful.

Dean stood up as he held up a hand to silence the angel and to his surprise Gabriel indeed stayed silent. He absorbed the words along with everything the archangel said up until this point and came to a conclusion. No way.

'Are you telling me... that you're using me as your fucking vessel?' and God, he wished the answer to be no more than anything at this moment.

'I didn't want this, Dean' Gabriel said.

'What the hell happened to giving consent?!' Dean snapped angrily. 'Because I sure as hell didn't agree for you to jump my bones.'

'Look Dean, this was completely beyond my control. Kali had to have a suitable vessel for the ritual and she already had your blood so it made you her primary choice.'

'So that's it? I'm done and just being dragged around as your meatsuit? I'm not even your vessel! Am I gonna rot or become some brain dead drooling mess because of this?!'

'The fact that I am talking with you proves that you're going to be completely fine after I get out of here and you're Michael's vessel, I don't burn as brightly as him, so you can certainly handle me.'

Dean stopped and looked back at the archangel who was still sitting in the grass.

'After you get out?' he asked. Gabriel wanted to roll his eyes, Dean saw that he barely resisted the urge to do so.

'Yes, after I get out of here. I don't intend to use you as my vessel.'

'Awesome, what the hell are you still doing here then?' Dean asked, his voice was still low, almost like a growl.

'Well, the thing is...'

'Oh yeah sure, of course there's a catch' Dean grumbled.

'Shut up and listen' Gabriel cut in. 'My vessel's gone, I can rebuild it but it will take some time.'

'Last time I checked resurrection for you guys was nothing but a blink' Dean answered.

'Sure, if I wanted to drag the soul of my vessel back from Heaven it would be. Now after he spent the last centuries upstairs it would be sorta a dick move to get him back into the joyride.'

'And since when are you not a dick?' Dean asked. Gabriel looked up at him and smiled unpleasantly, not like it made the hunter back off, he just kept scowling at the angel.

'So like I said. I can rebuild the body, or more like make a copy as there is nothing left from the original just a pile of ash, but it will take some time' Gabriel paused, he looked physically uncomfortable for having to speak further. 'So I am asking you to agree that I stay here until I'm done.'

Dean snorted. 'Asking, right... it's not like I can kick you out once you're here.'

'Exactly. I don't _have_ to ask, but I'm asking you anyway' Gabriel answered. Dean looked at him for a long moment then after a pause he took the gesture for what it was.

'How long?'

'Few weeks tops'

'Damn it, you really can't go anywhere else?' Dean asked, not like he actually hoped to get an answer he would like. Gabriel most definitely wouldn't have asked him if he could've solved this without having to do so. The whole thing made him feel unpleasant to say the least. This was exactly what he tried to avoid for so long, to lose control this completely. Gabriel was marginally better than Michael, but it didn't make it any less of shitty situation.

'I could use a temporary vessel, someone from my old vessel's bloodline maybe... but I'm sure you remember how weaker vessels end up even after a shorter time.'

The memory of the face of Lucifer's vessel was a clear one in Dean's mind and while he hated this with passion there was no way he wanted some poor schmuck to spontaneously combust for housing an archangel while he would get out of this scot-free, if Gabriel was telling the truth. He especially didn't want Gabriel to take some husband or father away from his family like Cas did.

'I'm not trying to trick you' Gabriel said.

'A: that's pretty ironic coming from you, and B: don't fucking read my mind.'

'We are inside your mind Dean-o, it would be pretty hard not to read it' the angel told him, Dean just scowled at him some more. That seemed to amuse Gabriel at this point.

'Damn, I hate this' Dean said, but okay. Gabriel came through in the end got his ass handed to him for helping them.

'Hey!'

'It's true' Dean said, not even asking which of his thoughts caused the exclamation, and ok the angel really didn't have to ask for Dean's permission whatsoever, but he did. He growled in frustration because he knew already that he was going to say yes. 'Ok, fine. Stay until you fix your vessel.'

'Thank you' Gabriel spoke and it was genuine, Dean could tell, he didn't know why he was sure, but he was.

'Man, Sam will freak out.'

'He doesn't have to know' Gabriel offered.

'Dude, I can't vanish for weeks, you gotta tell him what's going on. He's already looking for me probably.'

'He's not'

'What?' frowned the hunter.

'Two days passed since the solstice and--'

'You have to get to him and tell him what's going on' Dean said sternly.

'And I already went back to your brother' Gabriel continued while looking at Dean meaningfully. The massage to shut his mouth was loud and clear. 'He just doesn't seem to notice the difference.'

'What?' Dean asked. Even more incredulously, because there was just no way.

'Hey, just updating you, bucko' Gabriel shrugged. 'I searched him out and was ready to tell him what went down with Kali, but he thought I was you, it was amusing, I didn't correct him.'

'Dude, not cool' Gabriel chuckled at that.

'I simply didn't use my powers in front of him. I swear I didn't even try to pretend I was you. Seems like we're just like two peas in a pod, big boy' he grinned widely at that, obviously amused and not even trying to hide it. Dean wanted to argue, but hell he himself admitted something like this the last time they talked sitting in the Impala in front of the Elysian Fields motel.

'Why did you wait this long to talk with me?' he asked instead.

'I tried before, but you were “asleep”, so to speak. Took this long to get your brain out of the slumber it fell into during the ritual.'

'Ok, then just make your vessel or whatever, be fast. And tell Sam you're not me!'

'Oh, c'mon he will be all pissy at me and I can really do without the constant bitching, he's a lot less annoying this way.' Dean crossed his arms and frowned down at the archangel, Gabriel rolled his eyes. 'Fine, I tell little Sammy that big bro is not sitting at the wheel, at least I know he won't try to burn or stab me.'

Dean bit back a chuckle at the archangel's tone. 'Hey so... am I gonna notice time passing or something?' he asked. 'Or I will black out the whole thing?'

Gabriel seemed to think about it for a while before he answered.

'Not sure. Maybe you will wake up from time to time and see glimpses of what's happening, but I hope you stay down, lot more pleasant, believe me.'

'Yeah, chained to a comet or what?'

'With normal angels, yes... but with me, you are chained to a sun' Dean kept looking at the angel, they way he was almost glowing in the bright and hot sunlight, and for the first time he wondered if the heat he felt was Gabriel's grace and not just something his subconscious came up with.

'Well, make this fast then' he asked.

'I will' Gabriel said. 'Thanks, Dean' he added again before everything dissolved to nothing around them.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two

 

Gabriel let himself reach full awareness again as he slowly drew back from Dean's subconscious. He was... relieved maybe, he wasn't sure, but he knew that he was not pleased that he couldn't coax Dean to respond to him for two days, and finally getting him to wake up was reassuring. It was one thing to mess with someone – even hurt or kill them – deliberately, but he would've been really angry at Kali if her ritual would've caused any permanent damage in Dean, a non-consensual vessel just felt plain wrong. Well Dean as a vessel felt strange to begin with, but he was not surprised about that as he was not his intended vessel, he was meant to contain Michael and for Gabriel he was like an ill-fitting suit.

Now he had Dean's consent and it stilled his grace immediately. He didn't know whether he was surprised about Dean saying yes, but he didn't dwell on it much. It was a pretty spectacular sign of trust from the older Winchester brother that was sure, even if technically him saying no wouldn't have forced Gabriel out. Now he promised that he would need only a few weeks and he intended to keep his word and be done with his vessel as soon as possible. Being inside Dean's head made it simple for him to see that he actually believed that Gabriel was telling the truth and would give him back his body. At least he knew now that his final heroic – and utterly idiotic – sacrifice left some sort of a lasting effect on Dean, at least he gave him the benefit of the doubt and that was a lot more than Gabriel expected. It's been too long since anyone had even a crumb of trust in him.

'Dude, finally' he heard so he sat up on the bed stretched his back and rolled his shoulders, he was “asleep” for a few hours, the second he felt the small stir from Dean he dived down into his mind as soon as he could. 'This was the longest you slept in... years' Sam said glancing up from his laptop.

'Yeah well, I obviously needed it then' Gabriel answered. Sam shrugged.

'Your coffee got cold... about an hour ago' the younger Winchester answered then he turned back to his laptop. Gabriel intended to tell him that he was not exactly Dean, but he didn't want to do so until he could tell him that his brother was fine, now that he knew that and with Dean telling him to come clean he had no more excuses to delay this conversation that promised to be just delightful. It would've been so much easier to keep Sam in the dark until he was done and out of Dean, but it had to be the more difficult road of course, he was dealing with the Winchester brothers after all.

He stood up and walked to the table and sat down right across Sam who was still looking down at his laptop.

'Got a minute?' he asked.

'Only if it has anything to do with our next case' Sam answered.

'You're such a nerd' Gabriel said, but Sam ignored the comment. 'I bet you ten bucks that you won't care one bit about whatever's on your computer after the next five minutes.'

'I highly doubt that' the younger Winchester answered. Gabriel wanted to smirk at him, okay so this could be amusing too maybe.

'I am not your brother' he stated seriously. Sam stopped and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. He looked at him with slight confusion and with some curiosity. There was no alarm there... not yet. He let his lips curl into a little smile.

'Wow, this was totally anti-Darth Vader' Gabriel continued. 'Anywho... so this is Dean-o's body, but he can't really come to the phone right now.' Sam looked at him, his expression unreadable and Gabriel held eye-contact. The small smile not disappearing from his – Dean's – face but he let his eyes betray that he was not screwing around.

Sam jolted up from his chair and took a step back staring at him. His mind obviously racing with the possibilities of what he might be up against as of course all Winchester motel rooms were salted and protected against spirits and demons, but they didn't exactly put up Enochian warding magic so none of the protection effected Gabriel. Sam glanced to the side at the duffel where most of their weapons were.

'Relax' Gabriel told him. 'Seriously, I thought you would recognize me way sooner. Dean and I are not _that_ similar y'know...' Sam's body was tense now, he obviously decided that he was indeed not Dean.

'Oh yeah? Enlighten me then... who the hell are you?' he asked in a clipped voice, his stance was aggressive, ready to attack or protect himself.

'Come on! It can't be that hard. I've been here with you since the past two days, but didn't touch a hair on your head... not even one tiny prank' he did smirk this time. 'Very out of character of me, but hey I can be nice... sometimes.'

Sam frowned at him, but not relaxing one bit. There was some sort of recognition on his face, but he didn't say a word.

'Do I really have to torture you using some unbelievable cosmic powers so you recognize me? Seesh' he said in an annoyed tone as rolled his eyes.

'Gabriel?'

'Now that wasn't so hard, was it?' he smirked up at Sam.

'Where the hell is Dean?!' Sam exclaimed. Gabriel gestured slowly at Dean's body with one hand.

'Right here, I told you' the archangel answered. The younger Winchester was already shaking his head with widened eyes.

'No, impossible. He would've never said yes' he said with clenched teeth. Gabriel thought about it.

'That's arguable and beside the point' he was still sitting casually on the chair looking up at the hunter. 'This was not exactly a regular angel-vessel come-together.'

'What did you do?' Sam asked and his voice had an edge of threat in it now, well Gabriel certainly was not intimidated by his anger.

'Well if you're willing to shut up there's a chance that I will tell you' he told him. Sam just got angrier, but he clenched his jaw and controlled himself.

'Talk' he ordered, oh the next weeks would be utterly enjoyable, Gabriel just knew.

x~x~x

Dean's grasp of reality was strange... no, it was freakin' bizarre if he wanted to be honest. It was like he was always dancing on the edge of a fever induced dream. He didn't get any real information of the world passing him by only glimpses, but even those were so abstract for him without being able to use his eyes or ears that he found no way to understand any of it. Impressions mostly, but always too dim, too far, to vague or too fast for him to comprehend it clearly. It was strange and so beyond his comfort level that it was driving him crazy, but it was not painful. Maybe he just had a high tolerance to pain or maybe it was because he was Michael's true vessel, but the whole vessel gig was... unpleasant tops most of time.

Until all of a sudden that changed. It was not like any sort of pain he ever experienced, it was heat that didn't burn, something he felt in his entire being without truly sensing it the way he was used to it. His body could handle pain, he didn't know what was hurting now. He didn't have his own mouth to shout or scream and when it became too much he did the only thing he could think of and tried to call out to Gabriel, hoping that the angel was paying attention to him somehow.

Everything immediately stopped and Dean could open his eyes and see again... he knew he didn't wake up for real, but he found himself lying flat on his back on the endless green field again Gabriel sitting next to him and frowning down on him.

'Huh, didn't think that would work' he admitted.

'We're sharing a body here Dean-o, if you're screaming for me I will most likely hear it' the angel answered.

'Yeah, but I didn't think you would give a crap' Gabriel looked at him for another second before he shifted his eyes away and sighed quietly.

'I know you don't think much of me... but I meant that I didn't want this... so yeah I'm gonna make sure you're spared from any permanent damage, you wanna start bitching about that?'

Dean raised his hands in a surrounding gesture as he sat up, the archangel was in a pissy mood that was sure.

'What happened anyways?' Dean asked. 'Nothing hurt like this up until this point.'

'Ok, good to know that I should watch out for this' Gabriel answered. 'I killed some demons.'

'Demons?' Gabriel looked back at him and the pure annoyance on his face was almost funny.

'Your idiotic little brother managed to stumble upon them so I saved his sorry ass. Oh and FYI he's an ungrateful little prick so be glad I'm moderating myself and you won't find him in pieces when you get back to the front line.' And okay, now he understood Gabriel's mood. He was damn sure that his little brother was giving him hell constantly whenever he crossed paths with the archangel.

'So this happened because of the demons or because you got pissed?'

'Could've been either... I'll watch out for it now.'

Dean looked at the angel for a long moment.

'Seriously dude, what do you care if this hurts or is shitty for me?

'If you have such a big problem with it I guess I can stop giving a damn then' the archangel snapped. Dean bit back his reply and they stayed silent for another moment.

'How much time passed?' he asked then.

'Few days.'

'Shit, I hoped it was more' Dean said as he ran a hand down his face. He was sure that the more time passed the more uncomfortable this would become for him, he really was not looking forward to it. 'Hey um and... thanks... for keeping an eye on Sam, it's not like you have to do it...'

Gabriel rolled his eyes and looked away again, if Dean didn't know better he would've said the angel was uncomfortable.

'Yeah-yeah' he murmured before he vanished and the clear blue sky and the green field along with him.

x~x~x

'I remember you to be a lot more creative' Dean called out when he found himself on the field again.  He looked around but there was no sign of Gabriel yet, only the sun was heating him up... well he decided that it was probably how his human brain could grasp the effect of the angel's grace around him.

'Meaning?' came the question and Dean whipped around to look at Gabriel.

'I mean...' he started. 'You made entire pocket universes, but now you only come up with this field?'

Gabriel looked around then he kept his eyes on Dean, a thoughtful expression on his face.

'Considering this is your noggin' we're playing around in figured you would not want me to mess with it much... but hey, good to know' everything shifted around them right away.

Dean took in the interior that was some sort of room, it had very comfortable looking couches and a bar, looked luxurious, exactly what he would've expected from him.

'Why are you here?' he asked the angel then.

'You were restless' Gabriel answered. 'Figured something was wrong.... don't look so surprised, when angels take vessels we don't just connect to the body but to the mind too' he paused. 'So?' he prompted.

'Nothing man, I'm just probably at my limit already' Dean said. 'This whole...' he made a vague gesture with his hand he himself didn't know what was supposed to mean. 'I'm locked inside my own head. And it's not like I ever sleep or dream it's just this constant shade on things swirling around and it's always so damn hot and things are only clear when you're here like this... I can talk, I can see now... but shit every other passing second is driving me crazy.'

'I could probably force you to be completely unaware of things' Gabriel said, then he looked up for a second and seemed to rethink it. 'On the other hand your brother wrenched away control from Lucifer... maybe I couldn't squash you down to sleep.'

Dean didn't know what to say to that. He wanted to ask Gabriel whether he could do something else to ease this up for him, but he didn't want to push his luck as he knew that Gabriel was going easy on him already, the angel was uncharacteristically... well if not kind, at least not a bastard, which was still a surprising phenomena.

'I'm not...' Gabriel started but he fell silent right away.

'You're not what?' Dean prompted.

'I'm never gratuitously cruel' the angel said with a tone of finality, but his face had an edge of challenge in it, daring Dean to question him. Dean thought about it for a second and didn't argue. 'I'll try out something later...' the angel continued.

'You could just... drop by more, or whatever it is you do when you're here like this' Dean offered. 'This gives me a sense of reality man, not having a mouth to talk or eyes to see drives me nuts.'

'Ok' Gabriel answered after a pause.

'Ok' Dean nodded.

x~x~x

The next time Dean found himself in the room there were poorly clad chicks walking around with trays and drinks. Made the whole thing look like a bar... or a high-class strip club.

'Dude, you better not be getting a lap dance in my head' he called out and turned when he heard Gabriel's laugh.

'Didn't even have the idea in my head until now' the angel told him from where he was sitting casually on a sofa.

'Yeah, right' Dean snorted as he flopped down to one of couches himself.

'You wound me, Dean-o' Gabriel said with mock indignation as he put a hand over his heart dramatically. 'I'm not that stereotypical.'

'Dude, your Last Will was a homage of Casa Erotica 13' Dean told him. Gabriel chuckled.

'Well you know how it is, if you go down... go down with style' suddenly he had a drink in his hand and he took a few sips from it. 'Plus I'm a fan' Dean honest started laughing loudly at that. He cursed that DVD one time or another. Sure, it was what made it possible to end the Apocalypse and it was something so very “Gabriel” – he didn't know why he was so certain that he knew that it was – it felt like it was something that was purely and simply him. Whenever he caught a glimpse of the DVD in the trunk of the Impala it reminded him that Gabriel ended up on the long list of people who died for helping them, because he asked – demanded – that they do so. It never failed to make him remember that the victory cost a lot more not just his brother, even if that was the most painful loss of that time. He got Sam back, never thought he would see anyone else again. Gabriel might not have been his friend, but his death was hovering there above his head just like everyone else's whom they lost in the past years.

He looked back at the angel when he realized that they were silent for a long time then groaned.

'Shit, you can hear all my thoughts here' he said.

'Hear, see, feel... the whole package' Gabriel answered. 'Wouldn't have thought you would spare a second thought after getting the info from my message.'

'Dude...' Dean ran a hand down his face, he preferred Gabriel being all dickish and annoyingly cheerful to this seriousness. 'Without turning this into a chick-flick, you died... saved our asses and gave us a plan... it all would've gone to shit pretty fast if not for you, so yeah that's not something I forget. Can we move on now and not talk about this... ever again.' Gabriel chuckled again.

'Sure thing.'

'Awesome.'

x~x~x

Awareness came back to him in the form of burning pain, the feel of slowly spreading ache that intensified as time passed. Now he knew that Gabriel was either very angry or he was fighting someone, neither meant anything good. He knew Gabriel was not that easy to piss off, his Achilles heel was his family and there were not many things an archangel had to actively fight. So instead of calling out for the angel he braced himself and stayed silent despite the increasing heat and pain, because whatever it was that angered Gabriel it had to be something big and Dean didn't want to distract him from a possible fight either.

It didn't stop for a very long time and Dean was torn between wanting to scream and shout for Gabriel to stop whatever he was doing and the fear of what it might be that forced the archangel to fight for this long or to be in this angered state. He didn't now how much time passed while he tried to suppress his reaction but he couldn't hold out forever and he started to fight and struggle for control to get his body out of harms way already or to get Gabriel to calm the fuck down before he was burnt out of his own skin.

Gabriel's presence shifted almost instantly and with the heat and pain everything else faded too... even the last traces of sensation he could pick up until now until there was nothing...

'Dean...' Gabriel's voice was strange, it didn't sound the way he was used to hear it, it was something deeper, richer... more alien. 'Dammit... Dean!'

He opened his eyes at the harsh tone of the angel. He first saw the pair of amber eyes looking down on him, then Gabriel's face. The scenery around them was slowly coming together, like it was building up from a very thick fog, it wasn't instantly there like it was before.

'Dean, can you hear me? Answer me!'

'Yeah, I hear you... I can see you too if that matters' Gabriel let out a breath.

'Why didn't you call out to me sooner? You know I can hear you!' the angel told him with a trace of anger in his voice.

'Figured something big was going down... didn't want to distract you and get us killed or something.'

'I was not exactly in mortal danger' Gabriel told him.

'But...'

'No, shut up. You're not my true vessel dammit if I strain you too much there could be damage I cannot repair, you understand me? So you fucking stop playing tough and call to me when it becomes too much. I can't focus on you 24/7 to see whether you're fine or not.'

Dean stayed silent until his vision cleared out finally and he could see Gabriel and the almost empty room around them. He didn't get up from the floor though. He knew that he was not actually physically lying on the ground, but he still felt tired and sore all over for whatever reason.

'What happened anyway?' he asked, his own thoughts also seemed kinda sluggish.

'One sec' Gabriel said and Dean repressed a flinch and the urge to pull away when the angel put a hand on the side of his face, his fingertips barely touching his forehead. His hand was cool, which was strange because ever since this whole vessel gig started he associated Gabriel with heat, but this was a soothing coolness that washed over him and it eased up the aches in him and washed away the hazy tiredness he felt. 'Call out to me Dean, I'm serious' Gabriel told him while he looked him in the eye still not pulling his hand back, Dean held his gaze and nodded. He wanted to ask again what happened outside but he found himself unable to open his mouth just yet. Gabriel's fingertips moved and traced his hairline on his temple, it was such a small and gentle movement that it would've been easy to miss if Dean would not have been focused on the angel so very much.

'Gabriel...'

'I ran into Castiel' the archangel interrupted him and that one short sentence made Dean froze immediately.

'What did you...'

'I didn't do anything to him' Gabriel said right away. 'But he was not exactly happy to see me walking around wearing you. I didn't tell him that you couldn't give consent beforehand, he probably would've been ever worse then, not sure he won't still try to drag me out of you thought. He's much stronger than he was.'

'He was falling the last time you saw him' Dean reminded the archangel.

'I've known him since the second he was created Dean, he is much stronger than he ever was before. It's strange.'

'Yeah I think God gave him an upgrade the second time He brought him back.'

'Second?' Gabriel frowned down at him. And oh shit, Dean really didn't want to be the one telling him this.

'Um, Lucifer killed him before Sam jumped into the Cage... but he...'

'Was brought back by Father... again' the angel finished and his face became hard, all edges sharp with unreadable emotions, it was difficult to tell whether it was anger, sadness or disappointment, maybe all... maybe something even more. Dean wanted to grab him and shake him out of the stillness he fell into, he only managed to reach out and put his hand on his elbow squeezing lightly.

'Gabriel' he started quietly, having no idea what to expect as a reaction.

'It's fine...' the angel said looking at nothing in particular. 'I've never been one of His favorites.'

'You know what, just screw H--'

'Don't' Gabriel interrupted looking down on him. 'Just don't.' Dean shut up, understanding. Not knowing what else to do he finally sat up, his shoulder brushed Gabriel's like this but he didn't move away and they sat in complete – but somehow comfortable – silence until Gabriel disappeared again.

x~x~x

The next time he felt Gabriel's grace start to burn as heat increased he called out to the angel without hesitating. He didn't appear, but the growing discomfort was gone almost immediately signaling that the archangel heard him. Nothing happened for quite a while after that and Dean tried not to be annoyed with Gabriel not showing up for a dreamwalk or whatever the hell it was he did when Dean could talk with him inside his own mind.

He didn't manage to stay calm for long as it's been a while since he last saw Gabriel, which meant that he was limited back to the glimpses and impressions that filtered through to him and it was starting to agitate him. An unexpected wave of warmness washed over him all of a sudden, nothing like the scotching heat he was used to, but something pleasant and soothing. It was the first time he felt it and it was confusing for a second. A second wave of warmth followed soon, it was slightly different, he didn't know how but he felt... amusement. He immediately knew that it was Gabriel, it probably was meant to be reassuring, a sign that he was paying attention even if he didn't show up and against all odds, it worked. Dean found himself calming down in the warm soothing feeling that surrounded him while he wondered why the angel didn't do this before, it would've made this whole thing a lot more pleasant.

Nothing happened for quite a while, but Dean didn't mind one bit. He felt safe... and God he couldn't remember when was the last time he felt safe at all, even one bit, but Gabriel's presence was warm and strong and this was really far away from “being chained to a comet” or the sun, as Gabriel put it. This was pretty good and he was also sure that the angel had to make some sort of extra effort to make this happen and he was sort of... glad that Gabriel gave a shit enough to do this.

When he could suddenly see again it came as a surprise and it took him a second or so to get his brain into gear and realize that he had his sight. He was even more surprised when he saw himself, in a mirror.

' _What the hell?_ ' he asked, but his mouth was not moving and his reflection was only looking back at him.

'Oh good, it worked' his reflection told him. 'It's me, Dean-o' he added.

' _Gabriel... am I..._ '

'Yes, you're seeing the outside world' the archangel answered, and wow hearing him talk on his voice and with his face was a trippy. But he recognized the glint in his eyes though, something that was not there in his own gaze whenever he looked into a mirror, he recognized the smile playing on his lips that was very similar to one of his own smiles, but was still a bit different.

' _You can do this?_ ' Dean asked.

'Wasn't sure I could, but I gave it a try. It worked' the angel answered. Dean finally looked “around” as much as he could. He couldn't exactly move his eyes or anything, which again was weird as shit, but still he could still see that he – or rather Gabriel – was standing in a bathroom, a classy one, not the type of shady motel bathroom Dean was used to and that...

 _'Dude, why the hell am I naked?_ ' he asked. Gabriel chuckled, that sounded exactly like Dean's own small laugh, then the “picture” shifted as the angel looked down.

'Half-naked' he answered, and Dean could see that he was wearing a jeans even if he was barefoot.

' _Ok, why the hell am I half-naked?_ ' he asked then.

'I just took a shower' Gabriel answered easily as he looked back up at the mirror and now that he Dean payed attention he could see that his hair was wet.

' _Why? You don't have to, you're an angel_ ' Dean exclaimed.

'Yeah well, I don't have to eat or rest either, but it's good if I do' Gabriel told him.

' _How so?_ ' Dean asked.

'If I don't sustain the body I'm using, my grace will, but that's pretty unnatural as you can guess, puts extra strain on the vessel. I'm sure most of my brothers don't know this... no, I'm absolutely sure that none of my brothers know this, but if I eat and drink and sate your body the human way, it makes everything a lot more comfy. For both of us actually.'

' _Dude, “sate my body”? I really don't like the way you say that_ ' Dean groaned and Gabriel threw back his head and laughed. It was Dean's own laugh, but God knows when was the last time he laughed like that... probably when he was fleeing from a brothel with a confused Cas on his side.

'Don't be a prude' the angel grinned.

' _Everyone's a prude compared to you_ ' Dean told him, which caused Gabriel to laugh even more.

The way Gabriel's face was relaxed and cheerful it strangely made his face look younger. There were also no dark circles under his eyes, nor wrinkles that came from tiredness or stress. Now that he looked at himself in the mirror he couldn't help thinking that Gabriel was taking care of his body better than he ever did.

'Don't get gloomy Dean-o' Gabriel told him as his laughter quieted down.

' _Nah, just realized all the shit I was doing to myself... didn't think it showed that much_ ' Dean answered.

'All things considered I think you were holding up fine' Gabriel said. 'Others would've blown their brains out a very long time ago.'

' _Yeah, what an accomplishment._ '

'Take the compliment kiddo, I don't do it often' the angel told him and somehow it was more amusing than it had any right to be. Than something occurred to him.

' _Uhm... by sating the body you don't mean... everything, right?_ ' he asked. Gabriel raised one eyebrow in a way Dean never could.

'Whatever you mean by that?' he asked, but there was something in his look that told Dean he had a pretty good idea about what Dean meant. He was inside his head for crying out loud.

' _That I really hope you were not banging some skanks with my body_ ' he said, Gabriel chuckled again.

'One: I'm an archangel, I can do a lot better than picking up bimbos in truck-stops, two: you tend to bang skanks yourself just fine, and three: what would it matter?'

' _Wha-- what would it matter?_ ' Dean asked incredulously. ' _I don't want you to see..._ '

'Did I mention that I just came out of the shower?' Gabriel interrupted. 'Besides, I'm inside your body and mind... completely, and you're worried about me seeing you naked?'

' _Not that man... it's just... I don't know, it's weird... it's my body, but we're both here... so it would be like you're having sex... with me..._ ' the second the last words left his mouth he knew that if it was possible he would turn freakin' crimson, Gabriel chuckled again, the bastard.

'You are not completely wrong about that I guess. I mean two of us in the same place, should count as sex in a way... with a girl though... it's more like an exotic threesome, don'cha think?' the angel said, obviously amused to no end.

' _Oh, bite me_ ' Dean grumbled, he couldn't believe that he was this embarrassed, and he thought acting like a complete idiot when Gabriel looked like Dr. Sexy was the worse that could've happened.

'Maybe if you ask nicer, big boy' Gabriel told him with smirk that suited Dean's face just perfectly. The hunter wanted to roll his eyes and while he couldn't do it physically he was sure the sentiment was understood if Gabriel's gleeful laugh was anything to go by. Dean had no idea why he started laughing too, but he didn't give a damn after a few moments.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Part Three

 

' _How's Sam?_ ' Dean asked. Gabriel paused while dressing up.

'He hates me with the fire of thousand suns' he said.

' _This is not even your fault, man._ '

'I don't think he actually believed that or anything else I told him.'

' _Guess that was expected_ ' Dean said. He knew that if some angel would've shown up wearing Sam as his vessel he would've been beyond angry himself and would not have been ready to believe that his little brother agreed to it. ' _He will calm down once you stop crashing here._ '

Gabriel chuckled again as he tied up his boots.

' _What?_ ' Dean asked.

'You're talking about this like I asked to sleep on your couch' Dean would've shrugged if he could've.

' _Hey, I'm not saying I would've volunteered for this, but we got into a situation and I'm dealing with it. Hell, after everything you did to make this easy on me it's a comfortable luxury ride at this point._ ' Which was true enough, but he could also appreciate this comfortable companionship they had going now. He would've expected to be a lot more agitated having to deal with Gabriel for this long, instead he was feeling rather good, no it was more. He felt calm, safe and peaceful. It was a strange feeling, but it was better than he felt in a long time.

'It's my grace' Gabriel spoke.

' _I should freak out that I don't freak out anymore about you hearing every single thought of mine_ ' Dean reacted, and really he should've been a lot more annoyed, but he knew there was no helping it as long as they shared his body and mind. Gabriel huffed out a laugh. ' _So what's your grace?_ '

'What you feel, it's because my grace surrounds you' the archangel told him.

' _Why didn't I feel it since day one?_ ' Dean asked in confusion.

'I kept myself in distance from you as much as I could. Figured it would be best, since y'know... it's rather... intimate to surround you with my grace like that, but then after the third time you started hurting because of my power I though; screw privacy, keeping you unharmed gets priority. So all that you... sense, that's how your soul reacts to m... my grace I suppose...' he trailed off after that, falling silent.

Dean wanted to ask how this effected Gabriel, but he already felt like a big girl for wanting to know it in the first place.

'It's... fucking terrifying' the angel spoke, knowing what Dean wanted to ask without him having to form his questions into coherent thoughts. 'I cut myself off from Heaven, it's been centuries since I had to be this close to anyone, to sense their presence constantly and knowing that they are aware of me in return... I'm just not used to it anymore... but I guess we're on even ground this way at least.'

Now knowing what it was Dean let himself... feel the warmth surrounding him from all around, this sense of protection. He couldn't reach out towards it or didn't think he could even if he was curious... and he totally hated talking about shit like this, but he was grateful the angel threw his hang-ups in the wind to do this, since he obviously didn't have to.

'I can already feel that' Gabriel said and there was a return sense of gratitude that reached Dean. It was most definitely the strangest, most unnatural thing he ever did in his life while he tried to convince himself that it was not some metaphysical touchy-feely girly crap, but he gave up on that pretty soon.

' _Oh well, I guess we can always deny till all eternity that we had a freakin' moment_ ' he grumbled.

'Deal' Gabriel chuckled.

x~x~x

Gabriel looked down on his almost done vessel, it was good to see the face again that he wore for so long and came to think of as his own. It was even the form he appeared in front of Dean when he materialized something resembling physicality inside the human's mind. So he was glad that it was almost done, but he felt a twinge of regret having to leave Dean. Well maybe regret was too strong a word, but he was ready to admit that he would miss the bright light of Dean's soul. He only took the role of a guardian a few times in the past so it was not in his nature, but now the thought of letting the hunter's soul out from the safety of his grace filled him with unease. He didn't expect that at all. It was ridiculous how the human grew on him, but then again he was drawn closer long before this happened, he ended up where he was because of that. Losing the connection that was there now... not that he had second thoughts, but it was still not a pleasant feeling.

Dean stirred, gathering closer to Gabriel's grace, probably unconsciously as it's been happening for a long while now, the hunter picked up on Gabriel's moods and always reached out to him, like he wanted to offer comfort. He was almost 100% certain that Dean didn't realize he was doing it as humans were not exactly good at controlling themselves in a non-physical way, the thought that he did it in pure instinct made Gabriel smile.

He reached out for him and pulled him closer to the surface until he knew that the hunter could see through his eyes. The human was silent as he found his focus to comprehend reality again, then he jolted vehemently.

'Woah, Dean... what?' Gabriel asked. Dean's confusion slowly disappeared as relief washed over him.

' _Shit man, you really could've looked at something else_ ' he said and it took a minute for him to realize that it was his vessel what he meant.

'I might not be as handsome a devil as you are big boy, but I didn't think I looked that scary' he said.

' _No fuck... you look dead_ ' Dean clarified.... and oh. His vessel of course was completely motionless, indeed lifeless for now.

'Not dead, just not yet alive' Gabriel said, because there was a difference.

' _Looks dead_ ' Dean practically growled at him, Gabriel wanted to snap at him but paused when the traces of worry and fear reached him... it was of course quickly morphing into anger as such emotions always did in Dean's case.

'Sorry, I wasn't thinking' he said. Nor did he expect Dean to react this strongly at the sight of his vessel in such a state.

' _Whatever_ ' Dean mumbled, and now he was also embarrassed. ' _So, um... does this mean that you're done?_ ' he asked then.

'I am' Gabriel confirmed.

' _So... this is it?_ '

'I suppose.'

' _Are you gonna... like... stick around?_ ' Dean asked quietly and Gabriel tired to suppress the wave of joy he felt at the tiny hopeful note in Dean's voice.

'Your brother would not like that' Gabriel said in an even tone.

' _He'll deal_ ' Dean said.

'I guess I can... drop by sometimes' he answered carefully.

' _That's good._ '

'Yeah.'

' _So how will this go?_ ' Dean asked suddenly.

'You have nothing to do if that's what you mean' Gabriel told him as he sat down to the edge of the bed his vessel was lying on. The room was one of his hideouts he used many times in the past and fortunately all wards were firmly in place even after the time that passed since Gabriel last visited it before his death.

He reached closer to his vessel putting one hand on the chest and let his grace flow until the skin warmed up and the heart started beating under his hand and the body started breathing on it's own.

' _Holy shit_ ' Dean whispered inside. Gabriel's vessel looked alive and well, merely asleep. It would of course wither away and die like this soon if Gabriel didn't take it.

'Well, I guess this is the end of our ride Dean-o' he said.

' _It was not that bad having you along_ ' the hunter told him.

'Thank you.'

' _This is not a goodbye_ ' Dean said, his voice firm and the kind that didn't leave room for argument. Gabriel had no intention to argue even if in some way it was sort of a goodbye. He didn't say anything just let go of the hold of Dean's soul and leaned over his own vessel, cupping both checks with his hands.

'Don't open your eyes until I tell you' Gabriel whispered before he pressed his forehead to his vessel's and broke free from Dean's body.

x~x~x

As Gabriel left him he took all the warmth and sense of safety Dean felt from the angel being there with him. It was strange the way he got back the feeling into his body, his muscles ached like he ran too much or fought too hard, his body was numb for a second then it was like thousand pins at once all over his body, just like when blood rushed back into a numb limb. His breathing was hard and he knew he was shaking and he couldn't stop it. He kept his eyes firmly shut even if he was eager to open them. His eyelids were burning in red from the light around him and the skin under his fingertips warmed up even further as Gabriel descended into the body.

Then the light was gone and he was only aware of his own harsh breathing in the silent room and a then a second one that joined in a moment later, Gabriel's chest was rising and falling rapidly under him just like Dean's own. He felt cold...

'Dean...' Gabriel's voice was quiet and raspy, no wonder as he never used his voice in this body before, but even sounding to be so close it felt like he was very far away. 'You can open your eyes' he said. Dean didn't move. His hands were still on Gabriel's face and his forehead was pressed to the angel's as they both tried to even out their breathing. He felt the angel's breath on his face and lips, this close they were practically panting into each others mouth. A warm hand landed on the back of his neck and it sent a shiver down his spine, his skin felt too cold.

'Dean, everything's fine?' Gabriel asked. The angel didn't move away, but certainly Dean lying half on top of him was a weight he could handle.

'I'm fine... just a bit cold.'

'That will pass soon' the angel said. His breathing started to slow down, just like Dean's, but the hunter still had no urge to move away. He had Gabriel within him for weeks, lying on the same bed like this really was no big deal.

'Are you ok?' Dean asked quietly.

'Yes, a bit too spacious inside here... but all good' The hand on Dean's neck pulled on him a little and he went without resistance until his head hit the pillow next to Gabriel's head. He didn't move further away and he didn't pull his hands back either, he did let it fall from Gabriel's face to his neck and somehow the beating pulse under the warm skin made him relax to no end then he passed out unexpectedly.

x~x~x

Dean woke lazily and just the fact the he could feel his body was a pretty sweet novelty. He was sure he would get used to it soon enough. The second thing he noticed were fingers in his hair, stroking his head, he was not usually one for such displays of affection, but this felt good. He opened his eyes and looked at Gabriel, who had his head on the pillow too as they lay face-to-face on their sides, still close. The angel's eyes were following his fingers in Dean's hair and he was not paying attention.

'Hey' he greeted and Gabriel froze for a moment as his amber eyes shifted down to Dean's face, then he drew back his hand slowly. They just stared at each other for long moments before Gabriel dropped his eyes and pulled away.

'I'm gonna take you back to Sam now' the angel started. 'He probably will put you through hell before he will be willing to believe that you're you again, but nothing to do there...' he rolled over to stand up form the bed and Dean pushed himself up to grab hold of his jacket and pull him back down. Surprisingly, he let it happen and Dean leaned over him the second his back hit the mattress.

'Dean--'

'I'm still cold' the hunter said as he reached out this time, his fingertips traced Gabriel's hairline before he slid his fingers into the honey-brown locks. It looked less golden than the way it was whenever Gabriel came to him in a “dream”, but this way it looked more real. 'But I don't think it will go away.' Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment before looking back at Dean. His expression unreadable, guarded and he stayed silent. 'Dude, I'm gonna get a heart-attack here if you don't start talking' Dean breathed out and it managed to bring an amused smile to Gabriel's face, the tension in the hunter eased up a little.

The smile playing on the archangel's lips didn't fade away as he shook his head slowly, Dean frowned but before he could get a word out Gabriel reached up and dragged his head down into a kiss.

Dean parted his lips and pulled his body closer to the angel's. He coaxed Gabriel's mouth open with his tongue and when he finally kissed him back just as deeply as Dean wanted him to the hunter couldn't keep in the low moan that rumbled in his throat. Gabriel reached out with his other hand, his fingers spread on Dean's spine and he promptly turned them over and climbed over the taller man, not breaking their kiss.

They were close, but it still felt way too far away for Dean, still too much space between them. He didn't make it up, he did feel cold now without being warmed by Gabriel's grace for so long and he was almost sure that no other warmth could compare to it, but it wasn't just that. He felt... hollow somehow, not the way he felt when the world was falling apart and he lost all hope in everything, but empty like something was missing from him and he craved the presence that filled up that space. He didn't know and didn't care whether it was his soul wanting the angel's grace back close or if it was his body that missed the powerful light that filled his every cell before; he just didn't want Gabriel to move an inch further away. If anything, he was still not close enough.

They kissed and Dean's lips started to feel tired and used, but he didn't care. He chased Gabriel's tongue with his own, nipped at his lips that were also red, swollen and shiny. The angel slid a hand down his throat and when it reached his chest Dean sucked in a breath as his arms tightened around the angel.

'Your grace' he breathed into Gabriel's lips. Because yes, this was it, feeling the archangel's presence like this, this was what he missed from the second he woke up. This warmth was what he wanted to feel again.

'You're calling to me... pulling me closer' Gabriel said.

'Don't hold back' Dean told him and the angel practically growled in response capturing Dean's lips again in a hard kiss. The human recognized the feel of the angel's grace lighting up, it was there reaching, spreading way beyond Gabriel's skin, the skin that had the heat Dean's own skin craved that still felt too cold. He tore the jacket off Gabriel's shoulder and the angel tossed it away as soon as it was off. Buttons were flying when they were both getting rid of their shirts hastily and Dean just had to reach out and touch naked skin as soon as he could. Gabriel ran his hand down his side, fingers digging into his muscles as he rolled his hips down, Dean didn't realize how hard he was already until now.

'Y'know...' Gabriel spoke as he nipped at the soft skin under Dean's ear before he moved down to leave kisses and marks on the side of his neck. 'I found it hard to keep my hands to myself while I was _inside_ of you' Dean moaned, because God, suddenly that sounded like so much more, he pushed his hips up to get more friction. Gabriel slid between his legs and grind down again. 'Wanted to map out your body, find all of your buttons I could push to make you hot and bothered... didn't think I'd get a chance once I was out' his free hand gripped Dean's hips as he rolled their groins together again. 'But here you are' Gabriel breathed into his skin. 'Don't regret what you're getting into here, big boy.'

'No' Dean shook his had as he ran his hands down Gabriel's back. 'I want you... fucking badly.' That earned him a delicious bite on the spot where his shoulder met his neck, it was sure to leave a mark.

'Likewise' he said before he crushed their lips together again, Dean moaned into the kiss. Both at the angel's words and the heat he felt spreading on his skin as Gabriel claimed his mouth.

The rest of their clothing got pulled off and tossed away hastily after that and Dean felt almost drunk on the feel of hot skin covering his own.

'I'm gonna take a wild guess here and say this doesn't happen to all vessels' Dean managed to say while his mouth was free as Gabriel descended down a bit to drag his lips all over his chest. The angel glanced back up at him.

'No Dean, but our dance started long before' he said. 'This just poured some nitro on that spark.' He lowered himself down onto Dean just the right way so that their dicks lined up together and the hunter forgot what he wanted to say just moved his hips up and pulled Gabriel closer again. “Eager, I like' Gabriel chuckled.

'Don't be a dick' Dean told him as he mouthed on his jaw, the light stubble scraping his swollen lips.

'That's my default I'm afraid' Gabriel answered. 'But I think you like it.' Dean wanted to argue, but his words morphed into a deep moan as Gabriel wrapped his hand around both of them and stroked lazily. The human didn’t even try to stop his hips from moving, to thrust into Gabriel's hand. This warmth he craved now lit up with fire that came from the pleasure he felt and he was pretty sure it was going to melt something in his brain soon if he didn't get off... right the fuck now.

'Gabriel...'

'I want to be inside of you' the angel said in a low tone right next to Dean's ear and it took him quite some self-restraint not to come right on the spot, but the thought of getting Gabriel closer to him, inside of him, just filled him with raw need.

'Yeah' he breathed. 'Fuck, c'mon... wanna feel you' Gabriel's darkened eyes locked on him at his words, then the angel licked his lips briefly – a movement Dean followed – before he descended down Dean's body again. Kisses trailed down his chest, pausing for a moment when reaching his heavy beating heart. Gabriel's hands followed his trail, all his fingers were caressing Dean's sweat-slick flesh and Dean could've sworn heat was radiating from the angel's fingertips seeping into his skin. Maybe he wasn't imagining it, he didn't know, didn't stop thinking about it.

He let Gabriel spread his legs wider while he twisted his hands into the sheets, the anticipation was wiring up his body, making his muscles clench and relax repeatedly. Gabriel licked at his navel then moved even further down, his breath caressed the wet head of Dean's cock and the human chocked on a moan looking down at him. If anyone told him that he would find himself like this one day... his train of thoughts were cut off when Gabriel licked at his dick briefly, just a hint of tongue before he drew back and Dean really should've expected him to be a tease.

One finger moved down his erection, following one of the veins on it, then it dipped down behind his balls, Gabriel circled the rim of muscle while he put a kiss on the inside of Dean's thigh. He didn't push his finger in and Dean wanted to growl in frustration, he was already way too hard and the bastard angel just kept up with the light touches that managed to keep him aroused perfectly. He looked down again to scowl down on Gabriel, just in time to see him suck a finger into his mouth to make it wet and of course the amber eyes were locked on him. Seriously...

'You're such a bastard.' Gabriel chuckled as he let his finger slip from his mouth.

'And yet...' he said and there really was no need to finish that sentence. He didn't get a chance to reply cause this time when Gabriel's finger returned to his hole he pushed inside without any further teasing. Dean tensed for a moment then relaxed immediately letting the angel push in deeper and he closed his eyes and even moaned at the way his body opened up so easily, because this was Gabriel... inside of him, his body knew him even if not yet this way.

He opened his eyes when Gabriel let out a harsh breath and the unhidden want and dark lust on the archangel's face made Dean's breath hitch too, he was not the only one craving this. He rolled his hips down to get Gabriel's finger deeper. The angel ran his hand up and down Dean's thigh as he moved his finger in and out a few times before pulling it back out. Only a moment later he pushed back in with two fingers, more slick than the first was, but Dean didn't think about that he just tried to relax his body as much as he could. It didn't hurt as much as he thought this would, but then again his brain was so completely fogged with endorphins that he would've been surprised of feeling this as pain and not just as an edge of sharp pleasure.

Gabriel worked in his fingers slowly while he leaned down again, his mouth only inches away from Dean's dick. He was still hard, but at least not on the edge of coming, that before Gabriel licked along the soft skin until he reached the tip and licked away the moisture there, Dean threw his head back when the angel closed his lips around the thick head and the next second Gabriel moved his fingers inside him and Dean's entire body lit up like freakin' Christmas three. All his muscles tensed in pleasure and he moaned out the angel's name breathlessly.

'Oh fuck, do that again' he managed to choke out after he could suck in a breath into his lungs. Gabriel chuckled without letting Dean's dick slip from his mouth and he massaged the sensitive bundle of nerves inside him with his fingers again. Dean groaned as he pushed himself down again and again onto Gabriel's fingers. He didn't even pay attention to the extra stretch of muscle when Gabriel worked in a third finger, he was at the point where he was babbling mostly incoherently.  He groaned in displeasure when Gabriel pulled back from his dick, because his mouth was just hot and perfect and Dean wanted more. But the angel just moved onto his knees and pulled his fingers out as well.

He was pulled a bit down on the bed by Gabriel's hands on his hips and his legs were pushed apart and up as the angel settled above him. He felt the head of Gabriel's dick at his hole, just being there pushing at his entrance, but not getting inside and it drove him downright crazy, he was wiggling a bit trying to push himself down on the slick cock, but the angel was just out of reach.

'Gabriel, c'mon... just fuck me. Now dammit...'

'Just enjoying the moment' Gabriel said as he leaned down to kiss Dean deeply. The hunter tasted himself on him and he chased the taste with his own tongue inside Gabriel's mouth. Then Gabriel started pushing inside without ending the kiss, Dean bit down on his lips at the feel of his dick stretching him open. He groaned into the angel's mouth as he was filled up as he buried his hands in Gabriel's dark-gold hair that was already tangled and all messed up from Dean's fingers.

They kept kissing until Gabriel was fully inside of him, buried as deeply as he could go. Both of them were breathing hard as the angel stayed still for a few moments waiting for him to relax around his length and the stretch. He mouthed on the hunter's jaw and neck while one hand held Dean's thigh in place – wrapping it around his waist – and the other just stayed on the side of his neck, a grounding, reassuring touch.

'Ah... fuck!' Dean groaned out when the archangel started to move inside of him. It was too much and too little in the same time. It was all he wanted and yet he just craved more. He tried to move but he couldn't in his position.

'Good?' Gabriel asked as he looked down on him.

'More!' Dean replied, Gabriel bit down onto his lower lip and pushed in with more force at his next thrust. Dean's mouth fell open as a moan broke free from him and he threw his head back. He didn't have to encourage the angel to give him more even if he did start talking nonsense between his moans, but his words just seemed to feed Gabriel's lust as the angel's movements sped up. Dean dropped his hands down and grabbed onto his ass pulling him deeper, urging him to give more. The noise Gabriel made was nothing but a real growl as he started to fuck the human beneath him in earnest.

'Oh yes! Fuck yes!' Dean groaned again and again, but he lost all coherency when Gabriel moved him and changed his angle, his dick brushing his prostate just the right way, he cried out in pleasure and his back arched up from the bed. He had to reach down and warp his hand around his own dick that was so hard now that it practically hurt. One of Gabriel's hands joined his and they stroked together while the angel kept pounding into him. The room was filled with their deep moans, loud heaving breaths and the slapping of slick bodies.

Dean was coming without a chance to hold out for a second longer and his body writhed and moaned under Gabriel as his seed covered both their hands and his stomach and chest. Gabriel thrust hard and fast into him a few more times before he too was coming, deep inside the human's body and Dean pulled him down into a kiss as he felt the familiar heat of Gabriel's grace all around him. Almost like when he was inside of him completely. Gabriel rode out his orgasm then he stopped thrusting into Dean's body and rested his weight on him for a moment. Both of them just tried to catch their breath for a while then Gabriel pushed himself up on his hands and looked down at Dean again.

'Holy fuck, you're spectacular to watch come undone like this' he said as he caressed the side of the hunter's face and kissed him on the lips.

'I like you looking like this too' Dean told him when they parted and he stroked back some of Gabriel's hair to its place from his damp forehead, it was a lost cause, it was completely chaotic from the way Dean twisted and buried his hands in it before.

Gabriel pulled out and moved off of him so Dean could put his legs back down into a comfortable position. Dean knew that he was going to be sore as hell if he would be able to walk and sit properly at all, but he loved every ache in his body already, even if the strange emptiness he felt returned as Gabriel moved away, but he was still basking in after-glow so it wasn't so bad.

'Ok, this is definitely something that we will do again' Dean said staring at the ceiling.

'And again and again and again...' Gabriel commented and Dean chuckled, Gabriel joined him a second later.

'I'm really not sure you know what you got yourself into here though' the archangel said.

'Dude, I got the shit beat out of me by two hot chicks the first time we met, you messed with my car, you killed me a hundred times over and practically tortured Sam with it and I got shot in Dr. Sexy MD, you really think I didn't see the worst of you yet?' Dean asked as he turned his head towards the angel. Gabriel looked back at him.

'I might get a tad possessive sometimes too... just FYI' he said. Dean laughed.

'I can deal with that' the hunter said finally as he turned back to look up at the ceiling again. Gabriel started chuckling next to him. 'What?' he asked.

'I only managed to keep my vessel a “virgin” for about 5 hours... this has to be some sort of a record' he explained and Dean laughed along with him.

'Always glad to be of service' he grinned.

'I think we're gonna be fine Dean-o' Gabriel said as he quieted down.

'I think so too' the hunter agreed, running their conversation through his head again and realizing that he just got himself into some sort of a relationship. Oh well. 'If Sammy doesn't kill you that is... or Bobby... or Cas' he added and he liked how Gabriel erupted into laughter again, yeah they're going to be just fine.

 

End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find the fic at Livejournal here: http://scyllaya.livejournal.com/47796.html


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